He’s Teflon Thomas no more.
Isiah Thomas was fuming over reports Knicks owner James Dolan has flirted with Pacers CEO Donnie Walsh, Thomas’ former boss in Indiana, according to a source.
If Dolan reached out to Walsh with Thomas’ blessing, it was not apparent in Thomas’ lousy mood in Indiana. A second source yesterday confirmed The Post’s report that Walsh expected to speak with Dolan later in the week about the potential presidential vacancy, making Thomas appear as a lame duck across the final 15 games.
Whether Walsh ultimately gets the job is very up in the air, and a source said nothing would happen until after the season ends. But that Dolan already would be exploring his options is a slap in the face to Thomas, who would have been better off fired.
Walsh could be using the Knicks to get a bigger contract with the Pacers, whose owner Herb Simon loves him. But a friend insists he’s looking for a new challenge. The friend said yesterday said the Pacers CEO finds himself in a “awkward situation” with Larry Bird. There is with speculation one of them will be fired by Simon, very possibly Bird, the Pacers’ president. But on the awkward scale, Thomas’ situation gets a higher rating as he gathers his players for today’s practice.
The Knicks declined comment yesterday on firmer reports Walsh and the Knicks have made contact. More than four years ago, during Scott Layden’s final months, Walsh’s name came up in internal discussions at the Garden.
Walsh also did not comment again. Not that the games mean anything at 19-48, but the distractions will reach a new level of absurdity for Team Titanic II.
Thomas remaining as coach/president at this point is even worse than allowing Larry Brown to run pre-draft work outs in the weeks before his dismissal. Thomas’ public-relations firm declined comment.
On the bench during the Indiana loss Monday night, Thomas appeared life less, with a couple members of the Pacers’ organization who remember him from his Indiana coaching days noticing the difference.
One source said players are starting to make fun of Thomas on the bench, even making faces behind his back.
Signs the Bronx- born Walsh is looking for a big payday first came about last August when he hired a top-notch agent in Steve Kaufmann as he entered the final year of his contract. Two other teams supposedly are more serious about Walsh than the Knicks. However, two Pacers sources said Simon won’t let Walsh go easily.
Thomas had become more emboldened in recent weeks in talking about next season, but that now seems an act. Yesterday the Knicks were off and Thomas did not have to face the media. When the Knicks face Memphis on Friday at the Garden, renewed “Fire Isiah” chants likely will be heard. It seems as if he already has been.